According to the US National Academy of Sciences, humans are
drastically changing the Earth’s climate. This theory is based on
several factors, such as the sun’s lack of variations in recent
decades.The sun, which
is the primary source of energy driving the Earth’s climate system,
has shown no increase in output while the Earth’s global surface
temperature is believed to have increased. Various reports claim
that this proves the sun’s lack of involvement in recent climate
change.

Climate changes, including natural ones, are disruptive. In the past
they’ve led to the extinction of many species, population
migrations, and pronounced changes in the land surface and ocean
circulation. A well-known example of this is the ice age. Current
climate change may be accelerating faster than most of the past
events, making adaption more difficult for human societies and the
natural world. The scientists point to the American Pika, which are
native to cold alpine conditions but are believed to be dying from
rising temperatures.

The report states that human activities have significantly disturbed
the natural carbon cycle in many ways. The US National Academy of
Sciences notes, since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution,
the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) has released carbon
dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. A substantial portion
of this CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, where some of
it will remain for thousands of years. CO2 is important
gas for controlling Earth’s temperature and it needs to maintain
balance.Without
greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane and halocarbons - Earth
would be frozen at zero degrees Fahrenheit. But with too many
greenhouse gases, Earth could ultimately become like the planet
Venus, where the greenhouse atmosphere keeps temperatures around
seven hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

The Academy of Sciences also indicates that human-induced
deforestation is possibly a very significant contributor to climate
change. Fewer trees reduce the amount of photosynthesis, a process
in which plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store
it internally. Experts suggest the "slash and burn" technique is
commonly used to clear forests. This in turn releases CO2
that had been stored in the plants into the atmosphere. Increasing
the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is just one effect of
deforestation on climate change. Permanent destruction of forests
can also change the amount of energy from the sun that is reflected
by the Earth’s surface. It could change the amount of water vapor
released into the atmosphere. This accumulation of atmospheric water
vapor can trap additional heat and further increase temperatures.Upon further analysis, scientists believe these factors have
a regional effect on temperature.

Due to natural causes, the warming rate of the Earth has varied from
time to time and place to place. Researchers believe short-term
variations like these are expected and are not responsible for the
long-term warming trend. The report indicates the long-term trend is
primarily due to human-induced changes in the atmospheric levels of
CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Human factors can affect
warming from decade to decade with variations in emissions as
different practices come and go. The study states that the human
factors begin with the Industrial Revolution’s coal-fueled power
plants and varied over the years to include other greenhouse gases,
aerosols (which can have both warming and cooling effects), vapor
trails from planes, soot from fires and components of smog created
indirectly by local pollution. While all these factors tend to
increase warming, the Academy of Sciences admits that aerosol
particles produced by some vehicles and industrial processes tend to
bounce sunlight away from the Earth, temporarily counteracting some
of the warming caused by greenhouse gases. Studies show human
activities have emitted greenhouse gases in the Earth’s lower
atmosphere which have also created the potential for more storms and
certain severe weather events as it becomes warmer and damper.

The study suggests global warming is a long-term trend, but that
does not mean that every year will be warmer than the previous one.
Day to day, and year to year, changes in weather patterns will
continue to produce some unusually cold days and nights, and winters
and summers, even as the climate warms.

Scientists are confident that Earth will warm further over the
coming century. The impact of this warming could threaten food
production, freshwater supplies, coastal infrastructure, and
especially the population currently living in low-lying areas as
water levels rise. Scholars conclude, even if emissions of
greenhouse gases were to suddenly stop, Earth’s surface temperature
would not cool and return to the pre-industrial era level for
thousands of years.

The report concludes that climate change is inevitable, but if
greenhouse gas emissions continue as they are, future changes will
substantially exceed those that have occurred so far. This will be
perilous to all life on Earth, making the need for change now
extremely dire. There are conflicting theories regarding the cause
of the Earth’s rapid climate change. Continue reading for another
point of view.

CLIMATE CHANGE INFLUENCED BY NATURAL SOLAR CYCLE AND SUN SPOTS

The following information has been collected from Scientist
American’s article “The Role of Sunspots and Solar Winds in Climate
Change.” Some scientists believe the surface of the sun is going
blank, a phenomenon which scientists describe as a natural event in
the sun’s current solar cycle. These solar cycles last for 11 years,
and see both increases and decreases in sunspots. Appearing as solar
flares and dark blemishes, sunspots are darker, cooler areas with
magnetic storms on the surface of the sun. The article states that
the greatest number of sunspots in any given solar cycle is
designated as “solar maximum.” The lowest number is called “solar
minimum,” which describes the current state of the sun. This means
that normally the surface of the sun looks blotchy and freckled
compared to its current appearance which scientists have likened to
a cue ball.

But what does this mean for Earth’s climate? Southwestern Law School
professor Joerg Knipprath is still trying to determine the answer.
Knipprath states, “Solar flares, which are linked to sunspots,
consist of strong x-ray flashes and light energy. These flares shoot
off into space at the speed of light from the surface of the sun.”
Solar wind, according to NASA, consists of solar flares which
influence galactic rays. It is believed that these rays may affect
atmospheric phenomena on Earth such as cloud cover. In addition, a
previous solar minimum which took place in the 1600s and 1700s was
marked by cold temperatures and severe winters in Europe and North
America. Scientists have deliberated that a decrease in the sun's
ultraviolet emissions may have triggered the change in climate.
However, this is just speculation, as it hasn’t been firmly proven
that the two phenomena were actually related.

In contrast to the current lack of sunspots, some studies indicate
that overall sunspot activity has doubled in the last century. The
visible result of this being the sun glowing brighter (by about 0.1
percent) than it did 100 years ago. Those who are skeptics of
human-induced climate change claim that these natural variations in
the sun’s output are to blame for global warming. Experts explain
that it is not a coincidence that sunspot activity increases along
with global temperatures.These skeptics further warn that regulation of carbon
emissions would negatively affect our economy and what they describe
as a “tried-and-true” energy infrastructure.

How can scientists formally conclude which theory is the highest
contributing factor to climate change?Only the absence, or extreme reduction, of carbon emissions
would allow researchers to conclusively tell how much impact natural
influences have on the Earth’s climate. However, obtaining and
enforcing the regulations needed to test these theories would be a
difficult task in itself. For now, this leaves the conclusion to
this debate unresolved.

Following in Singulair Green’s footsteps,
Norweco’s Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor was recognized by the
Association of Rotational Molders (ARM) at their annual meeting in
Denver, Colorado. The Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor rotationally
molded tank was awarded first place in the Global Large Product
Competition. This makes it the second ARM award won by Norweco!

The Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor is durable, UV
stabilized and made of virgin high density polyethylene to
achieve high quality and consistency. Its unique design incorporates
our patented internal and external ribbed walls to insure
uncompromising structural integrity and long-term performance. The
reactor is lightweight, weighing less than 500 pounds, making it
easily deliverable in a standard full-size pick-up truck for
installation at difficult job sites with just a backhoe. Designed to
improve the performance of any onsite wastewater treatment system,
the Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor‘s innovative attached growth
technology begins working immediately upon startup. Completely
non-mechanical, the reactor requires no electricity and operates
continuously with minimal maintenance.

The
Association of Rotational Molders is a worldwide trade association
currently representing member companies in 58 countries. Members
include manufacturers of rotationally molded plastic products,
suppliers to the industry, designers and professionals. ARM is the
primary voice of the industry and the source for information on
rotational molding.

The ladies of Norweco recently
sailed off for their annual trip to Rattlesnake Island. It’s a
day the women can get out of the office and take advantage of
the beautiful summer weather on Lake Erie! Upon landing on the
island, they made their way to the Rattlesnake Island Club for
refreshing drinks and a delicious lunch. Some took a cool dip in
the club’s pool, while others played games such as cornhole and
bocce ball. Many hopped on golf carts to tour the small
island, which has a golf course, air strip, private residences
and even peacocks! There was also a stop to see a Norweco
Modulair system, which ensures that all the island’s wastewater
is safely treated.The
relaxing day was made more special this year with it landing on
one lady’s 21st birthday. From Bloody Mary’s to frozen
daiquiris, what better place to celebrate than Lake Erie’s
premier private resort? The ladies returned to the office the
following day for business as usual with tan lines to remind
them of their island getaway!

There are
more ways to deliver a tank than with a boom truck! When septic
tanks failed on a Great Lakes sandbar, a local Singulair Green
dealer was called upon to save the day. A cost-effective solution to
protect and restore the watershed was needed, and reaching the
residences would be no simple task. The Singulair Green proved once
again that it can be installed at even the most difficult job sites!
Small lots, steep grades, poor soil conditions and even sites that
are boat access only won’t hinder the delivery and installation of
Singulair Green.

Singulair Green provides superior effluent quality with technology proven
in thousands of installations worldwide! Certified by NSF
International, it’s a trouble-free answer to domestic wastewater
disposal and insures a safe, sanitary environment. For these
reasons, Singulair Green is being used to revitalize numerous
watersheds throughout North America. The high quality, long-lasting
durability of the Singulair Green watertight HDPE tank is unmatched.
Paired with its proven treatment process, these systems will insure
the preservation and recovery of water quality in the area for years
to come. When it comes to delivering, installing and maintaining
Singulair Green, it’s always smooth sailing! This makes Singulair
Green Today’s Answer for the Protection of Tomorrow’s Environment!

NORWECO FEATURED AT THE WATER & WASTEWATER
EQUIPMENT, TREATMENT & TRANSPORT SHOW

At the
Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment and Transport Show
(WWETT), Cole Publishing interviewed Team Pink member Robin
Cassidy. Norweco, Inc., our Singulair Green wastewater
treatment system and our Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor were
featured in the video. During the interview Robin
discussed the difference between the two products and how they
can be used together to meet the most stringent effluent
requirements. Robin also sets the record straight that our
technology was not stolen from Star Trek, but an original
innovation from Norweco.

PROGRESS THROUGH INNOVATION
LETS THE
780 AERATOR REST IN PEACE

The final
Norweco Model 780 Aerator rolled off
of the assembly line bringing an end to the
manufacturing process that
originated in 1978. The 780 enjoyed
a robust life dedicated to the
world’s environment.The 780 traveled extensively,
treating wastewater all over the
globe making oceans, lakes, rivers
and streams safer for all of
mankind.
The
780 was a dedicated and dependable
aerator, well known in North America
and around the world for providing
years of trouble-free service to the
thousands of Singulair wastewater
treatment plants from Anchorage to
Key West and Eureka to Boston.
The
air it provided enriched the lives
of countless nematodes, rotifers and
the billions of other
micro-organisms that depended on the
780 for their survival.

The 780
had thousands of offspring that
carried on its mission.One of the oldest known is still rotating at age 34.
It still resides in Kentucky while
under the tender care of the
distributor who installed it. The
Model 780 aerator outlasted its
younger sibling, the Model 93
Aerator, who was discontinued in
earlier. It is survived by the tens of
thousands of families that benefited
from its tireless work, as well as
the Models 96 and 206C aerators, who
have vowed to carry on its legacy
with advanced energy efficient
electro-mechanical components. In
light of the 780’s departure, Model
96 aerators are eagerly waiting in
the wings, ready to be retrofitted
in the field to carry on the 780
tradition.

The
Singulair treatment system, a
lifelong co-worker of the Model 780,
noted that “we had worked together
in perfect rhythm for decades. The
Singulair family of products will
proudly carry on the 780s legacy.
We’ll remember the 780 fondly and
continue to pursue excellence
through innovation.”

Great appreciation is
felt for the Model 780 and its years
of air delivery. It made a lasting
impact by ensuring oxygen was evenly
distributed in the aeration chamber
to help treat wastewater, keeping
the environment and countless
families safe. Its contributions to
the onsite industry will not soon be
forgotten!Expressions of gratitude can
be emailed to
email@norweco.com.

NORWECO FALL HUNTING SEASON

The time-honored outdoor tradition of hunting began in November with
Norweco's annual Deer Hunt. The average peak of rut for
whitetail is around November 13th, making the chances of a harvest
high due to the increased activity. Each year employees get to
hunt the 315 acres located at the Norweco Scouthouse. The hunt
is spread over a 3 week period and concludes with the final week of
Ohio gun season ending December 7th.

The Suffolk Times proves that hard work pays off.
Norweco is
proud to be one of only four
manufacturers selected for Suffolk County's residential
demonstration program. This program was established to provide
a solution to the high concentration of nitrogen that has severely
impacted their water quality. Norweco's Singulair Model TNT
(Total Nitrogen Treatment) and Hydro-Kinetic systems will be part of
the study to restore the health of Long Island's surface waters.
Norweco is honored to provide today's answer for the protection of
tomorrow's environment.

To download the article on the campaign to clean up the
nitrogen-polluted waters in Long Island please clickhere. For the health of your
region's water today and for the sake of future generations, contact
Norweco at 1-800-NORWECO oremail@norweco.com.

BANNING THE BEADS

Illinois has become the first state in America to ban what most
consumers don’t even realize is a problem – microbeads. Governor Pat
Quinn signed the legislation effectively
banning the sale and manufacturing of products containing the
plastic particles in Illinois. Where can these microbeads be found?
They are most common in cosmetic products, such as face and body
scrubs. The beads are also present in many toothpastes and soaps,
replacing biodegradable options like ground nut shells and salt
crystals.

But what is the danger in plastic particles that in most cases are
barely visible to the naked eye? A number of threats exist,
researchers say. The microbeads can discharge hazardous chemicals
into the water, and they also absorb harmful substances like oils,
heavy metals and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, which are
industrial products or chemicals).

Microbeads have been found in the oceans all the way to the Arctic.
On a local level, they have been found in many U.S. waterways and
the Great Lakes – the worse concentration being in Lake Erie.
They’re getting there because wastewater treatment plants are not
designed to filter them, so they flow right through and into the
large bodies of water. There they are mistaken for fish eggs and
eaten by the fish and other marine life – which in turn introduces
all those dangerous chemicals into our food supply, proving the
threat very real.

Illinois has made the first big leap here in the states, and
improvement can be seen on the horizon with Ohio and a few other
states considering similar bans. Many companies are also working to
remove the dangerous plastics from their products.
In the meantime, it’s best to
avoid cleansing and cosmetic products that include polyethylene or
polystyrene on the ingredients list. For more information about the
environmental war on microbeads, check out www.beatthemicrobead.org.

BIG RED RETURNS TO PROM

Big
Red is at it again! Norweco’s big rig recently attended its second
prom, which was for Wellington
High School at Vell’s Party Center in
Medina. At the wheel was Norweco shop foreman Sean Begley, dropping
off his daughter Alanna and her date Alex Brown at the big event.
Despite the slight difficulty of getting in and out of the truck in
a formal gown, Alanna was beaming. “My daughters all love the
truck,” said Sean, “The students have gotten used to the sight of
Big Red since it has been used in several events over the past three
years, but it always draws the crowd for photo ops!”

Big
Red is hard to miss, being the largest production pickup truck in
the world. It features a nine foot cab and a 310 horsepower
MaxxForce engine, making it versatile enough to carry 6 tons of
production equipment or to make a statement out on the town! The
passengers Big Red chauffeured that night would definitely tell you
it’s better than a limo!

Everyone involved had a great time, and we’re
sure Sean didn’t mind getting to keep an eye on his daughter and her
date! As always, Big Red stole the show and truly made it a
memorable night!

NORWECO DISTRIBUTOR TAKES PART IN WORLD RECORD CONCRETE
POUR

The
beginning of what will be “the tallest structure west of the
Mississippi River” has already earned a world record. It was awarded
for the largest continuous concrete pour, and one of our Singulair
distributors was happy to help. Downtown Los Angeles was abuzz after
months of preparation at the site of the upcoming Wilshire Grand
Center. The 18 foot deep pit was lined with 7 million pounds of
reinforcing steel ready to house the concrete foundation. Dubbed the
“grand pour,” the event kicked off in the afternoon with a ceremony
featuring Mayor Eric Garcetti and California State Assembly Speaker
John A. Pereza. Festivities continued with a parade of concrete
trucks led by the University of Southern California marching band.
Local bars also got involved by concocting a special drink to honor
the occasion, which they called “The Longest Pour.”

Uninterrupted pouring began on Saturday
and continued 18 ½ hours through Sunday. Guinness World Records adjudicator
Michael Empric was there to monitor the feat as it unfolded and
called it “amazing.” For this massive project, 21,200 cubic yards of
concrete were used, beating the previous record of 21,000 set by the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Far from a simple task, the
crews avoided any interruptions with extremely careful planning. The
main challenge was routing and preparing for potential detours for
the 208 cement mixing trucks. In
the end, the trucks made ten to fourteen trips each, topping out at
more than 2,100 trips between the site and eight different concrete
plants located within a 20-mile radius. Timing was important for the
82 million pounds of concrete needed for the foundation. After being
mixed, the concrete had to be poured within 90 minutes and cooled,
or else the thermal effects would have caused it to crack. The
single consecutive pouring actually saved time and money, proving
more efficient than the standard method of pouring in stages.

With
the pour successfully completed and the concrete cured, developers
will continue to move forward with this historic undertaking. The
Wilshire Grand Center is replacing the Wilshire Grand Hotel, which
was built in 1950 and opened as the Hotel Statler in 1952. It
quickly became a local landmark and attracted famous guests, most
notably President John F. Kennedy and Pope John Paul II.
Deconstruction of the building took over a year to make way for a new icon to revitalize the area.
The 73 story Wilshire Grand Center will cost an estimated $1 billion
before its completion. The 1,100
foot high structure will have many features, among them, a 900 room
hotel, convention space, outdoor terrace, five levels of underground
parking, a pool on the 73rd floor, as well as retail and
office spaces. The tower will change the skyline of Los Angeles as
the newest skyscraper in 20 years, the tallest building in the city,
and the tallest on the West Coast.

Congratulations to our distributor for their part in this amazing
historic achievement, and best of luck to everyone involved in this
extensive project as it continues to unfold and reshape the City of
Angels.

FEDERAL STUDY WARNS OF SUDDEN CLIMATE CHANGE WOES

Dramatic temperature change is no
longer an imminent threat, but one that is already upon us.The following AP article published in the Shelby Globe addresses this rapid escalation which poses a
threat to humans, animals, and plants alike as researchers monitor
the shifts and scramble to predict them.

Washington (AP) - Hard-to-predict sudden changes to Earth's environment are more worrisome
than climate change's bigger but more gradual impacts, a panel of
scientists advising the federal government concluded Tuesday.

The 200-page report by the National Academy of Sciences looked at warming
problems that can occur in years instead of centuries. The report
repeatedly warns of potential "tipping points" where the climate
passes thresholds, beyond which "major and rapid changes occur." And
some of these quick changes are happening now, said study chairman
James White of the University of Colorado.

The report says abrupt changes like melting ice in the
Arctic Ocean and mass species extinctions have already
started and are worse than predicted. It says thousands of
species are changing their ranges, seasonal patterns or in
some cases are going extinct because of human-caused climate
change. Species in danger include some coral; pika, a rabbit
like creature; the Hawaiian silversword plant and polar
bears.

At the bottom of the world in Antarctica, the melting ice in the west
could be more of a wild card than originally thought. If the massive
ice sheet melts it may happen relatively rapidly and could raise
world sea levels by 13 feet, but researchers aren't certain how soon
that may occur.

However, the report had what researchers called "good news."
It said two other abrupt climate threats that worried
researchers likely won't be so sudden, giving people more
time to prepare and adapt. Those two less-imminent threats
are giant burps of undersea and frozen methane, a
super-potent greenhouse gas, and the slowing of deep ocean
currents. That slowdown is a scenario that would oddly lead
to dramatic coastal cooling and was featured in the movie "The Day After Tomorrow."

Study co-author Richard Alley of Pennsylvania State
University compared the threat of abrupt climate change
effects to the random danger of drunk drivers.

"You can't see it coming, so you can't prepare for it. The
faster it is, the less you see it coming, the more it
costs," Alley told The Associated Press. "If you see the
drunk driver coming, you can get out of the way."

The scientists said the issue of sudden changes is full of
uncertainties, so the world can better prepare by monitoring
places like Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets more. But
because of budget cuts and aging satellites, researchers
have fewer measurements of these crucial indicators than
they did a few years ago and will have even fewer in
upcoming years, study co-author Steven Wofsy of Harvard
University said.

The panel called on the government to create an early
warning system.

"The time is here to be serious about the threat of tipping points so as
to better anticipate and prepare ourselves for the inevitable
surprises," said the report by the research arm of the federal
government, which enlists independent scientists to look at major
issues.

Donald Wuebbles, a University of Illinois climate scientist
who wasn't part of the academy study, called it important,
especially the call for better warning systems. However,
outside scientist Michael Mann of Penn State said he doesn't
see the need for a new warning system.

"The warning is already there, loud and clear," Mann said in
an email. "The changes we are seeing in the Arctic are
unprecedented in thousands of years, and they are already
having a catastrophic impact on human civilizations,
animals, and ecosystems there."

Nitrogen, which is plentiful in wastewater, is
dangerous when left untreated. It is toxic towards aquatic
life, can become a public health hazard, and make wastewater
reuse difficult. The excerpts below from an American Liquid Waste Magazine article summarize the U.S.
EPA's newest efforts to combat the problem and unite the states
under one set of regulatory guidelines in treating wastewater.

The EPA issued a model program for onsite
management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This guidance
document is expected to become the template the EPA uses for other
impaired watersheds. "They have said in effect, that they will
use this to apply TMDL for other impaired waters around the
country,"

says Eric Casey, executive director for the
National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association. "Think Gulf
of Mexico, Florida Keys, Puget Sound - just about any wetland area
and the perimeter of the country. There are also several freshwater
lakes that may be targeted, such as the Great Lakes."

The document states it was developed to help other states develop
and implement a model program for managing onsite systems with the
goal of minimizing nitrogen impact to the Chesapeake Bay.
"This model program reflects...the latest research and
recommendations on the reduction of nitrogen pollution using
different onsite system technologies. Whether and to what
extent a state or local government chooses to implement the
recommendations contained in this document is a decision that is
ultimately left up to the state or local government."

"The EPA doesn't have direct authority over onsite - it's still
regulated at the state level," says Casey. "We all want to
protect our waters and feel that this is a positive step and
portions of this document are particularly good."

"A whole set of technologies will need to be introduced to get those
nitrogen levels down," says Casey. "Any major technology has
to get approved in all 50 states, costing hundreds of thousands of
dollars to get approved because each state requires different data.
It is a very difficult process for a manufacturer to go through,
which stifles innovation. It gives manufacturers less of an
incentive to develop new technologies when they know how hard they
will have to work to get through the process."

"There needs to be more trust between the states. Right now,
one state requires two years worth of testing while another state
will require more testing or different sets of tests. All
segments of the industry would be better served if the states would
approve a standard. Everyone would benefit if technology had
an easier path to industry. It would result in fewer costs,
less expensive equipment, increased public health and would be
better for the environment."

"Again, the EPA isn't mandating anything and it isn't binding.
However, everything has to start somewhere, and we hope that this
will open up dialogue between states to make this easier."

This will be a big topic of discussion at NOWRA's conference in
November where they will have a panel discussion on technology
reciprocity. "Everyone, even the regulators, recognizes that
this would be good to do," says Casey.

"This will impact every sector in the industry," says Casey.
"It's a pretty sweeping document and sets the standards on what
technologies are approved. More people are going to need to be
educated and training standards will need to be upgraded.
Installers will have to know that they are following proper
procedures; regulators will be interpreting rules in each county."

"The big takeaway in this is that whether you are a pumper,
installer, designer or engineer, it's really important that you keep
up with the latest technologies that are out there. There are
fewer and fewer places where you find simple installations.
Most of the space for those is already gone. The overall trend
is toward more regulations and rigid standards for the performance
of onsite systems. The knowledge of anyone from 10-15 years
ago is now out-of-date. You have to stay up with what is going
on. Water quality standards are getting tougher to meet, and
you need to know more to employ those effectively. If you
haven't been to a class in 15-20 years, you will be shut out of
business. The need to keep skills up is more important than
ever."

Uniting under one set of standards would save on costs, thus
encouraging innovation in the industry, allowing for better
solutions to protect our water supply as well as those who
depend on it.

WIPES IN THE PIPES SNARLING SEWERS

Maintenance professionals in charge of sanitary sewer systems are
struggling with blocked
sewer lines and equipment malfunctions believed to be caused by
new products represented as "flushable." The excerpts below
from USA Today summarize the issue and
the debate between representatives of the wastewater industry and
product manufacturers.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- They are touted as disposable
and even flushable, but disinfecting wipes are causing headaches for
operators of city sewer systems. The products appeal to consumers in
part because of manufacturers' claims that they can be conveniently
flushed down the toilet. But their cloth-like material doesn't break
down in the sanitary sewer system like toilet paper and can block
sewer lines, clog equipment and increase cities' maintenance and
repair costs.

Public works managers say the problem has worsened
in recent years because more such products are available on the
market and consumer demand for antibacterial products is growing.
Companies such as Cottonelle and Charmin have heavily promoted
bathroom wipes, while some cleaning product manufacturers have
advertised sponges that can be disposed of in the toilet.

"It's getting to be more and more of a problem,"
says Marty Sunderman, superintendent for the city of Sauk Centre,
Minn. This spring, the city had to hire a contractor to vacuum out a
lift station to remove a truckload of cloth material. "Ideally, what
we'd like to see flushed down the system is just toilet paper,"
Sunderman says. "When you put these type of rags down there, they
don't come apart. They just stay with it all the way to the pumps."

The same problem is happening "all over the
country," says Cynthia Finley, director of regulatory affairs for
the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA).
"Consumers are being told by
the packaging that these things are flushable," Finley says.
Although the material might make it through the toilet and the pipes
leading away from the house, they tend to clog up once in the sewer
system, she says. "That can cause huge headaches for the utilities,"
Finley says.

A spokesman for Kimberly-Clark, which makes
Cottonelle flushable cleansing cloths, says the product is designed
to be flushed. They undergo extensive testing to ensure they are
compatible with home and city sewer systems, Bob Brand said in an
e-mail. However, Consumer Reports tested several brands of
wipes labeled flushable and found that while toilet paper
disintegrated after about eight seconds, the wipes still hadn't
broken down after 30 minutes.

The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
says its products aren't the problem. Researchers have collected and
analyzed materials from wastewater pumps and found that most aren't
items labeled flushable, but are baby wipes, hard-surface wipes or
other non-flushable items, spokesman Phil Pitt says. The association
is developing flushability guidelines and a "Do Not Flush" logo for
products, Pitt said. NACWA is trying to educate the public and
encourage companies to change their marketing. Most utilities want
the "flushable" label removed from packaging, Finley says. On some
products such as baby wipes that carry a warning not to flush them,
utilities want the message featured more prominently.

However, progress is slow because the standards are
voluntary, Finley says. Some cities have begun putting a notice in
newsletters that are mailed to residents along with their water
bill, advising them to avoid flushing those items. Pat Shea, public
services director in St. Cloud, Minn., says many residents aren't
even aware of the issue. "They just think once it's out the door,
it's fine," Shea says. "It's usually just a matter of education.
People don't know it's causing problems."

The problems described above are exacerbated
with an onsite wastewater treatment system. Increasing public
awareness of the consequences of flushing these products can help to
minimize maintenance expenses and environmental threats. Onsite
wastewater professionals should support any effort to educate the
public on environmental issues such as these.

NORWECO GETS FIT

The Biggest Loser airing
on NBC has inspired many Americans throughout the country to lose
weight.For thirteen
seasons, the competitors have raced to the finish line to lose the highest
percentage of weight and gain the grand prize of $250,000.Not only has this show helped their contestants but it also has
inspired a resort in New York to help their guests make healthy
decisions, exercise and lose weight.

The Beaver Hollow Conference Center was once a retreat for Bethlehem
Steel Corporation employees. The
resort has now acquired the concept of the Biggest Loser TV show and
it is open to anyone who wants to
visit for a great fitness and weight loss experience.This new concept was brought to the resort by Fitness Ridge Worldwide, Reveille LLC and NBC Universal
Television Consumer Products.The resort has received a new look itself. They have added 30
new rooms, an advanced workout center, Olympic size pool and much
more.

Norweco was approached to
help remove the chlorine residual from the center’s Biggest Loser
pool when it is being back flushed.We, of course, were excited to assist with this project!We suggested using our dechlorination unit, the Tri-Max
tablet feeder, along with Norweco’s Bio-Max dechlorination tablets.This stainless steel tablet feeder is manufactured by Norweco
as a durable and transportable dechlorination unit.It can be used for permanent or temporary applications and
installations.In
addition to being used to dechlorinate swimming pools, it can be
used for wastewater and potable water discharge, stormwater,
municipal reservoirs, cooling towers and back flushing fire
hydrants. The unit is designed to handle flows up to 275 gallons per
minute and can effectively remove up to 50 ppm chlorine to
non-detectable levels.
The Tri-Max tablet feeder is engineered to combine excellent
performance with portable convenience and operational ease.

Dechlorination
applications are becoming more common throughout the United States.When back flushing swimming pools or fire hydrants, it’s
important to make sure that the chlorine residual is removed before
the water reaches the stormwater drains.If the chlorine residual is not removed, it could be harmful
to the aquatic life living in the area.The storm sewers
eventually discharge to major bodies of water, wetlands, rivers,
lakes and ponds.Due to
this growing issue, there have been regulations put in place for
discharging swimming pool water as well as flows discharged from
fire hydrants.To
process the swimming pool
water there are two options available. One option is allowing natural
dechlorination from the sun to take
place.This means
letting the pool set for days untreated to allow the sunlight to
dissipate the chlorine in the water, which would take longer than
desired.A more
efficient way to dechlorinate pool
water would be to use Norweco’s Bio-Max
dechlorination tablets. Dechlorination with Norweco’s Bio-Max
tablets is an instantaneous process that allows swimming pool water
to be discharged in a quick and safe manner with no chlorine residual.

Norweco is pleased to announce that the operators of this new
facility, at the Biggest Loser resort, will be utilizing our Tri-Max
tablet feeder dechlorination system and Bio-Max dechlorination
tablets when back flushing the pool.If you have a need for wastewater or water treatment
equipment, please visit our products’ webpage at www.norweco.com
or if you would like to learn more about the resort, you can find
additional information athttp://www.biggestloserresort.com/niagara-ny-weight-loss-resort/about-the-resort.

SINGULAIR GREEN®
GAINS GLOBAL RECOGNITION AS BEST IN CLASS

Norweco’s
Singulair Green tank was recently honored by the Association of
Rotational Molders (ARM) at their annual meeting in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. We are very pleased to announce that the Singulair Green
rotationally molded tank took first place in the global Large
Product competition. ARM International recognized those companies
who have entered products that are outstanding in the field of
rotational molding. Products entered in the competition needed to
demonstrate the following characteristics: a significant new use of
plastics, design ingenuity, cost effectiveness, performance
improvements, manufacturing economies and energy savings. This
recognition represents ARM International's commitment to the quality
of rotational molding and furthers its goal of fostering public
awareness of design applications and rotational molding
capabilities.

The Association of Rotational Molders (ARM) is a worldwide trade
association currently representing over 200 member companies in 58
countries around the world. The Association has been in existence
for almost 40 years and includes manufacturers of rotationally
molded plastic products, suppliers to the industry, designers, and
professionals.

The rugged, yet lightweight Singulair Green polyethylene tank
incorporates an inherently strong ribbed-arch design to maximize
strength and versatility, while at the same time minimizing the
equipment needed for proper installation. The rotationally molded
tank houses the proprietary Singulair treatment process, and can
easily be installed at depths of 6 to 36 inches below grade. The
Singulair treatment process is time-tested, field-proven and has
been successfully utilized in hundreds of thousands of wastewater
treatment applications. Singulair Green continues Norweco’s strong
tradition of excellence by providing successful treatment solutions
across North America and much of the world.We are proud to have been selected as one of the products
designated as outstanding in the field of rotational molding. ARM’s
recognition of the system’s tank design and durability demonstrates
Norweco’s ongoing commitment to the development of industry-leading
products.

Detailed information on Singulair Green along with a full list of
our engineered products can be found atwww.norweco.comor by
contacting us at 1-800-NORWECO.
www.norweco.com .

Big Red Goes to Prom

Big Red, Norweco’s
company big rig, made an appearance at this year’s Clyde High School junior prom. In an attempt to impress his date, Tyler Missler kept the identity of the mystery prom
vehicle a secret from his girlfriend Holly Stohl until the big day. It is a Clyde High School tradition for students to vie for the most memorable prom vehicle.
Despite some worthy competition, horse drawn carriages and stretch Hummers have nothing on Big Red! Whether hauling six tons of production material or a couple of teenagers to
prom, Big Red commands attention. The distinctive red truck boasts a nine foot cab, a 310 horsepower MaxxForce engine and is the largest production pickup truck in the world.

Clyde’s prom was held at Kalahari (an indoor water park in
Sandusky, OH), so Big Red not only got attention from
the other students, parents and teachers, the truck created a
considerable stir with the valet staff.

Holly
said, “Big Red topped it all. When we first pulled in, everyone’s
faces were shocked. The valet guys at Kalahari were all fighting
over who got to drive it.” Unfortunately, the valet drivers were
disappointed to learn that Big Red’s chauffer for the night, Jimmy
Starr, wouldn’t give up the driver’s seat.

As expected, it took some effort getting the
girls in and out of the cab in formal wear and high heels. Still,
Big Red proved capable of providing the romantic ambiance one would
expect from being escorted to prom in a massive red pickup truck.
Holly described the experience as really “awesome” and “a lot of
fun.” Big Red’s prom debut was a big success, a day Clyde High School will never
forget.

International Action’s Use of Norweco Chlorinators

Recognized by Clinton
Global Initiative

The Clinton Global Initiative
presented an award to International Action for their work in
Port-au-Prince,
Haiti.The Clean Water Campaign, administered by International Action, is a non-governmental group
(NGO) working around the world providing clean drinking water by
utilizing Norweco chlorinators and locally sourced chlorine tablets.Former President Bill Clinton described the Norweco-designed
process as the first chlorination system intended for cities in poor
countries.

Andrew Weiss, International Action Board
Member, was present to accept the Certificate of Recognition from Clinton during the Fifth Annual Meeting of the
Clinton Global Initiative in
New York.“It’s a great success,” said Weiss.Leaders from other key NGO’s joined Weiss and Clinton in the
spotlight.International
Action was proud to be in this group because most are far larger and
more experienced in Haiti.“Clearly, our chlorinator is
a stunning new solution to the clean water problem,” stated Lindsay Mattison, Executive Director of International Action.The recognition attained has
brought more attention and requests for assistance with
implementation.

In
Port-au-Prince alone, there are 150 water systems utilizing Norweco
chlorinators to provide clean water to 400,000 residents.
The systems are the ideal
application because they are “simple enough to be run by local
groups and sophisticated enough to clean the water for 10,000
users,” said Weiss.Simple
test kits allow the operator to measure how much chlorine is
dissolved and
regulate the flow.The use of Norweco chlorinators will continue to expand as
more charities learn about the Norweco technology and the success it
has had in reducing death and illness in the most remote third world
countries.

At
the invitation of the Chinese Poverty Reduction Agency,
International Action recently began installing chlorinators in the
Province of Shaanxi.
Pictured to the left are some of the 30 new apartment buildings for
2,500 villagers that will take water from the systems.“The scale of the water problem in China is simply
astonishing to us,” proclaimed Mattison.“In
ShaanxiProvince there are 13,000
water systems and 36,000,000 residents.And,
Shaanxi is
among the smaller and least populated of the 22 Chinese provinces.Eight hundred million people are at risk.”

In addition, representatives from International Action visited the
Institute in
Gansu, China, which trains foreigners in
water technology.The Norweco
chlorinators will become a part of the curriculum in Gansu, opening doors in many countries.
International Action is
committed to doing everything in their power to extend the use of
the Norweco technology to improve public health conditions for
countries in need.

Another NGO utilizing the Norweco technology is Engineers
Without Borders.The
Model LF2000 tablet feeder is in use in Ghana, a village
in Africa, for chlorination of
potable water.Engineers
Without Borders collaborates with developing communities worldwide
in order to improve the quality of life. Few investments can make
such a major difference in the health and lives of so many people.

Now Available

Texas
“Double Gun” Tool Kaddy

Norweco
Customer Service Manager Bob Fletcher
was in Lakeway, Texas assisting local Singulair distributor
Eco-Safe and their service technician, Sherman Wipff, checking
systems in a gated community. Homes in this development range from
2,500 to 8,000 square feet, many of which sell for more than a
million dollars. At his first service call, he and Sherman were
approached by an officer, carrying a shotgun, and learned that a
search was in progress for two men who had attempted to rob
Cristiani’s Jewelry store. A third suspect had been apprehended near
the scene by an off-duty police officer.

Department of
Public Safety and Starflight choppers 100 feet above aided
officers on the ground as they searched the wooded area surrounding
this development. A reverse 911 call was placed to 500 residents
with a warning to “lock your doors.” Surprisingly undaunted by the
commotion surrounding them, Bob and Sherman diligently continued
their work. Only minutes went by before the officer returned and
asked, “Do you have a gun in your truck? If so, you might want to
put it in your pocket.” The Tool Kaddy was packed with essentials,
but no gun. Bob’s level of alarm was heightened by this point and he
picked up the pace of his work.

Given
the situation, we wonder why Bob and Sherman did not just flee the
area. Were they perhaps being held there against their will? That
was exactly the suspicion of the officer who returned for a third
time to question them. Based on the officer’s concern, Bob and
Sherman dropped their tools and took cover.

Realizing they
needed their tools for work at other homes, Bob
and Sherman returned an hour later to retrieve their tools. The
area was saturated with armed officers in bulletproof vests.
Helicopters still circled overhead. Given the go-ahead to proceed,
it was with haste that the fearless duo ran from their vehicle to
collect their belongings. The manhunt continued until the suspects
were captured. A witness reported seeing them enter a dumpster less
than one-half mile from where Bob and Sherman were working. Police
used a K-9 unit to surround the dumpster and both suspects were
taken into custody without incident.

Innovation has
made Norweco a leader in our industry. This time, innovation means
safety. Designed as a result of this real-life, risky adventure, the
Texas
“Double Gun” Tool Kaddy comes complete with a pair of 300 Weatherby
rifles for a small additional charge. Bob says, “Don’t get caught
with your guard down.” Are you armed for the job?

WARMING
WARNING

The Environmental Protection Agency has taken the first
step on the long road to regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean
Air Act.

Politicians and the public, business and industry will have to weigh
in along the way, but for now a proposed finding by the EPA that
global warming is a threat to public health and welfare is under
White House review.

The
threat declaration would be the first step to regulating carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act and could
have broad economic and environmental ramifications. It also would
probably spur action by Congress to address climate change more
broadly.

The
White House acknowledged that the EPA had transmitted its
proposed finding on global warming to the Office of Management and
Budget, but provided no details. It also cautioned that the Obama
administration, which sees responding to climate change a top
priority, nevertheless is ready to move cautiously when it comes to
actually regulating greenhouse gases, preferring to have Congress
act on the matter.

The
Supreme Court earlier directed the EPA to decide whether
greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide from burning fossil
fuels, pose a threat to public health and welfare because they are
warming the earth. If such a finding is made, these emissions are
required to be regulated under the Clean Air Act, the court said.

"I
think this is just the step in that process," said White House Press
Secretary Robert Gibbs, noting the Supreme Court ruling. Another
White House official, speaking anonymously in deference to Gibbs,
predicted "a long process" before any rules would be expected to be
issued on heat-trapping emissions.

But
several congressional officials, also speaking on condition of
anonymity because the draft declaration had not been made public --
said the transmission makes clear the EPA is moving to declare
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a danger to public health
and welfare and views them as ripe for regulation under the Clean
Air Act.

Such a
finding "will officially end the era of denial on global warming,"
said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., whose Energy and Commerce subcommittee
is crafting global warming legislation. He said such an endangerment
finding is long overdue because of the Bush administration's refusal
to address the issue.

The EPA
action "signals that the days of ignoring this pressing issue are
over," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., whose Senate committee is
working on a climate bill.

Many
business leaders argue -- as did President George W. Bush -- that
the Clean Air Act is ill-suited to deal with climate change and that
regulating carbon dioxide would hamstring economic growth.

"It
will require a huge cascade of (new clean air) permits" and halt a
wide array of projects, from building coal plants to highway
construction, including many at the heart of President Barack
Obama's economic recovery plan, said Bill Kovacs, a vice president
for environmental and technology issues at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce.

Abigail
Dillen, an attorney for the environmental advocacy group
Earthjustice, which is involved in a number of lawsuits challenging
permits for new coal plants, dismissed the dire economic warnings
from business groups about carbon dioxide regulation.

"It's
to their interest to say the sky is falling, but it's not," she
said. "The truth is we've never had to sacrifice air quality to
maintain a healthy economy. The EPA has discretion to do this in a
reasonable way."

An
internal EPA planning document that surfaced suggests the
agency would develop a final endangerment finding.
But officials have made clear actual regulations are unlikely to
come immediately and would involve a lengthy process with public
comment.

Gibbs,
when asked about the EPA document, emphasized that "the
president has made quite clear" that he prefers to have the climate
issue addressed by Congress as part of a broad, mandatory limit on
heat-trapping emissions.

But
environmentalists said the significance of moving forward with the
long-delayed endangerment issue should not be understated.

"This
is historic news," said Frank O'Donnell, who heads Clean Air Watch,
an advocacy group. "It will set the stage for the first-ever
national limits on global warming pollution and is likely to help
light a fire under Congress to get moving."

NAT receives ANSI accreditation

North American Testing, LLC (NAT)
received accreditation from the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) as a test facility and certification body. This
accreditation allows North American Testing to evaluate the
performance of wastewater treatment products against internationally
recognized standards and certify the results. As a part of the
process, the NAT laboratory was also accredited to ISO Standard
17025. These accreditations were earned by developing and adhering
to strict operating procedures, making NAT one of only
three organizations in the United States to achieve this
designation.

NAT
began operations in 2006 as a test facility that specializes in
onsite and decentralized wastewater applications. The mission of NAT
is to become the premier testing and certification organization for
the decentralized wastewater treatment industry. Their test facility
in Norwalk, Ohio evaluates products using both simulated and
real-world conditions. NAT personnel sample the treatment systems
for various
parameters and conduct the desired laboratory analysis. Upon
satisfactory completion of a test protocol, NAT issues a final
report to document product certification. The final report displays
both the ANSI and NAT trademarks as a demonstration to purchasers
and regulators that the product meets industry standards.

ANSI
was formed in 1918 to establish an impartial national body to
coordinate standards development, approve national consensus
standards, and halt user confusion on acceptability. ANSI helped
form the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in
1926 and is still the United States representative to this day.
ANSI’s mission is “to enhance both the global competitiveness of
U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and
facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment
systems, and safeguarding their integrity.”

Over 890,000 gallons
of raw sewage and stormwater spilled into San Francisco Bay from an
overloaded World War II-era treatment plant. Five days earlier, a
ruptured pipe released 400,000 gallons of filth into the bay. And
those were just the big spills the public heard about. On
average, human waste spills into the San Francisco Bay more than
five times a day, fouling the waters and shorelines of this
environmental jewel and recreational treasure.

Decrepit pipes, outdated municipal sewage treatment systems and poor
upkeep have been blamed for many of the spills into one the world's
most famous and beautiful natural harbors. And some of the Bay
Area's wealthiest communities have been identified as some of the
most persistent polluters. "It's
like living in a situation sort of like a Third World country, where
there's poor sanitary management," said Sejal Choksi of the
environmental group San Francisco Baykeeper.

Some
spills have been blamed not only for killing large numbers of fish
but for causing respiratory infections, skin and eye irritation and
diarrhea in swimmers. Signs warning against water contact are a
common sight at beaches and marinas for those who swim, fish or
sailboard in the bay, especially after storms. Rick
Avery, of the Dolphin Swimming & Boating Club in San Francisco,
said two of his bay swimming companions decided to stay out of the
water after the 400,000-gallon spill. Avery said he once
became sick from swimming after a storm, when sewage systems
often are overloaded. He had a stuffy nose and other cold symptoms. "The
water was so dirty that day, and we still swam," Avery said. "That
was the only time that I got sick and handful of other people got
sick."

More than 2,000 spills dumped an estimated 15 million gallons
of raw or partially treated human waste into the waters of the bay,
state officials said. On
Sunday and Monday, the east San Francisco Bay city of Richmond's
more than half-century-old sewage system was overloaded by rain and
spewed 890,000 gallons of filth mixed with rainwater. Officials said
the system's deteriorating, leaky clay pipes cannot handle the extra
load after a storm. A 23-year-old pipe ruptured along the shoreline of Sausalito in
well-to-do Marin County and sent a 400,000-gallon plume of waste
into the bay, forcing health warnings on nearby beaches for more
than a week and the closing of a fishing pier. Officials blamed
shoddy workmanship and corrosion. "A
number of California jurisdictions have let their infrastructure age
beyond the breaking point," said William L. Rukeyser, a state water
board spokesman.

A
2.5-million-gallon sewage spill in Marin County led
to fines by the state and federal government and beach closings
north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Regulators accused the Sewerage
Agency of Southern Marin of holding on to almost $550,000 that could
have been used for maintenance for preventing such spills. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered the East Bay
Municipal Utility District - which provides sewer service to about
10 cities, including hardscrabble Oakland, wealthy Walnut Creek, the
environmentally conscious college town of Berkeley, and middle-class
Hayward - to spend $2 million a year to fix leaky pipes that were
allowing sewage to flow into the bay.

The EPA
released $283 million in economic stimulus money earmarked
for sewage system upgrades in California. But that is only a
fraction of the needed repairs. San Jose alone has a sewage
treatment plant that is more than 50 years old, and a $1 billion,
10-year plan to fix it. "The
sewer lines in the ground are indeed old. In San Francisco, it's
over 100 years old," said Bruce Wolfe, executive officer for the San
Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. "There's a lot
of effort that goes into maintenance, but one can only put enough
Band-Aids on something for a time. At some point you've got to do a
full remodel."

SEWAGE YIELDS MORE GOLD THAN TOP MINES

The
pursuit for maximum recycling of materials has reached a new high in
the current economic situation – or perhaps a new low: Resource-poor
Japan just discovered a new source of mineral wealth – sewage.

A
sewage treatment facility in the city of Suwa, Japan has recorded a
higher gold yield from sludge than can be found at some of the
world's best mines. The high percentage of gold discovered at the
facility was most likely due to the large number of precision
equipment manufacturers in the area that use the yellow metal. Suwa
recently recorded finding 4.2 pounds of gold per ton of ash from
incinerated sludge. That is a far higher gold content than Japan's
Hishikari Mine, one of the world's top gold mines, which contains
approximately an ounce of the precious metal per ton of ore.

The
operation started based on research, which found that
the concentration of gold in the ash was comparable to high-grade
ore. At the time, the idea of mining this gold was discarded because
the method to extract the precious metal, compared to the potential
benefit, was too expensive. That changed when the crisis hit the
financial markets and the price of gold skyrocketed.

Then,
Suwa sold 1.4 tons of ash to a smelting company that is going to pay
$55,810 for the gold they recover. Suwa expects to earn about
$167,000 more by the end of first quarter. "How much we actually receive
will depend on gold prices at the time," the official said. Some
gold industry officials expect prices this year to exceed the
all-time high of $1,030 per ounce.

This
Japanese treatment facility is not alone in this type of
resourcefulness. Jewelry factories near Daluotang, China are
discovering gold and silver fillings in their septic tanks. The
particles either are washed off workers’ hands and faces or have
been ingested accidentally. Processors are paid to sift, pan and
finally recycle the contents of the tanks. “The factories watch over
the gold powder produced at each stage of their processing,” one man
said. “Once, I was carrying some waste water for a boss here, I
spilled a little and he began to shout at me for the waste.”

We can
only expect similar ingenious processes to keep popping up across
the world as we get deeper and deeper into the economic sludge, pun
intended.

NORWECO WOMEN COMPETE WITH HOOTERS GIRLS

Not to be shown up by the Hooters Girls, the women of Norweco proved
themselves picture perfect at Norweco’s Company Picnic. With
the picnic’s theme of Tailgate MMVIII, the Service Pro "Big Red"
service truck, was the ideal backdrop for this spicy photo. Despite
the existence of excellent food, plentiful drinks and the
opportunity to win great prizes, the picnic came to a dead halt as
the women of Norweco climbed aboard Big Red. Some might say it was a
concern for their safety, but the ladies had plenty of offers for a
“boost” or a hand to strike their poses. Once again Big Red was in
the right place at the right time.

Big Red
once drew the attention of the staff at the Waco,
Texas Hooters restaurant, famous for hot wings and “hot” girls.
Although not as legendary as the Hooters Girls, the women of Norweco
showed that they were up to the challenge. Surrounded by women or
not, Big Red is unquestionably an attention getter. The
International Truck and Engine Corporation Model CXT has attracted
interest around the country. Whether it’s the 310 horsepower MaxxForce engine, six tons of hauling power, or the hope that there
are women tucked inside, no one overlooks Big Red.

GLOBAL WARMING CONCERNS HEAT UP

The hottopic of global warming has become very commonplace in news
reports, political debates and scientific research. Could there be a
more universally relevant and concerning topic? After
20 years of warning America about global warming, Dr. James E.
Hansen, a top NASA scientist, told Congress the situation has gotten
so bad that the world’s only hope is drastic action. Man-made
greenhouse gases, flowing into the atmosphere and oceans at an
unprecedented rate, are leading to large climatic events, rising sea
levels and other marked ecological changes.

Risk of species
extinction, ecosystem collapse, flooding and droughts are present.
Significant changes to the amount and pattern of precipitation,
which affect agricultural yields, will devastate many areas. As many
as 50 million additional people could face hunger by 2020. Rain
dependent crops in Africa would be cut in half in the next 12 years.
Between 120 million and 1.2 billion people in Asia will continue to
experience some water stress. The most significant impact for the
U.S. will result from climate-driven effects on many other countries
and an increase in illegal immigration. These circumstances will
have the potential to seriously affect U.S. national security
interests. “Climate change will provide the conditions that will
extend the war on terror,” stated Adm. T. Joseph Lopez, who
commanded U.S. and allied peacekeeping forces in Bosnia.

Global warming is
indicated by the increase in average measured temperatures of the
Earth’s near-surface air and oceans. The year of Dr.
Hansen’s original testimony, the world’s hottest year on record was
experienced. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, 14 years have been hotter since. The increase in
temperature is caused by the concentration of man-made greenhouse
gases. Carbon dioxide, produced when fossil fuels such as oil and
natural gas are burned, is the most dominant of greenhouse gas
emissions. Dr. Hansen, who is also the director of the Goddard
Institute of Space Sciences, reports that the Earth’s atmosphere has
to get back to a level of 350 parts per million carbon dioxide. In
May, it was 10 percent higher reaching 386.7 parts per million.
Hansen stated, “We’re toast if we don’t get on a very different
path.”

The effects
of global warming can still be curtailed. To cut emissions, Hansen
said coal-fired power plants that don’t capture carbon dioxide
emissions should be eliminated. Government bodies have set caps on
industry and vehicle emissions. The search for alternative fuel
sources and a greater interest in green initiatives continues.
Protecting our nation’s water supply by utilizing products that
provide the most desirable results, reducing pollution in problem
areas and working with the regulatory community to achieve
reasonable and enforceable limits and standards are all ways that
Norweco is helping in this effort. Norweco water and wastewater
treatment products employ non-mechanical and low-power consumption
technologies to conserve energy. Ancillary products, such as Norweco
Drip Irrigation systems promote water conservation through
subsurface reuse and our disinfection systems provide
environmentally friendly pathogen reduction. “We see a tipping point
occurring right before our eyes,” Hansen told the AP. Now is the
time to act to prevent irreversible consequences.

aging Municipal Sewers a Danger

Years of fines
and penalties have done little to stop the flow of human waste
into U.S. waters, according to a recent report by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Waste gurgles from
manholes and gushes down streams and rivers somewhere in the USA
almost every day.”

In the first
quarter alone, a damaged pipe spilled 700,000 to 1.3 million
gallons of raw sewage and other waste into Grand Lagoon at Panama
City Beach, FL and about 20 million gallons of
sewage flowed into Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River after a 42-inch
pipe ruptured near Reading. Heavy rain,
deteriorating pipes and operator error sent nearly 5 million gallons
of sewage into Northern California's Richardson and San Francisco
Bays.

The main culprits
for these overflows are the aging combined sewer systems built by
cities throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries along with
the 1.2 million miles of sewers leading from homes and businesses to
the wastewater plants. “When people flush their toilet they
think the sewage is going to the treatment plant,” according to
Nancy Stoner of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The
government isn’t doing enough.”

With lawsuits
pressuring local governments, billions of dollars are slated for
complex and costly modernization projects expected to take
generations to complete. Ratepayers are being asked to foot much of
the bill and sewer rates are already increasing in many of our major
cities.

Currently there is
legislation before Congress that would require sewer authorities to
notify the public of overflows and spills. While this legislation,
if passed, is not a solution to the problem it will reduce the
number of people who get sick from even casual contact with the
sewer overflows. Continued effort is required to address this
situation. Decentralized systems, such as those manufactured by
Norweco, will continue to play an increasing role in protecting
public health and the environment.

NEW YORK CITY POLICE TAKE EXTRA STEPS TO AVOID SECURITY THREAT BY
GAS CHLORINE

Following at least 10 attacks in Iraq involving explosives
attached to liquid chlorine canisters and the listing of liquid
chlorine as a Chemical of Concern by the United States government, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
and police are stressing the importance of chlorine vendors
verifying the legitimacy of their customers before accepting
orders or shipping product. This warning to vendors is in
addition to DHS’s earlier requirement that facilities which use or
store liquid chlorine register with DHS for a mandatory on-site
inspection and risk assessment.

As concern mounts over the transport, storage and use of
hazardous chemicals, such as liquid chlorine for disinfection and
sulfur dioxide gas for dechlorination, several sewer districts
have installed Norweco tablet chlorination and dechlorination
systems. Norweco tablet technologies do not employ hazardous
liquids or gas and are exempt from all current and pending
Department of Homeland Security reporting and inspection
requirements.

The relevant excerpt from the DHS report is as follows:

The Associated
Press reports undercover New York City
police secretly set up a fake company to demonstrate how easily and
anonymously a terrorist could purchase chlorine on the Internet for
a deadly chemical strike against the city. There has been no
specific terror threat against the city involving chemicals, but New
York City police recently put more emphasis on screening shipments
of chlorine after learning that it has become a favored component of
homemade bombs in Iraq.

Associated Press
– (New
York) NYC police carry out fake chlorine deal to demonstrate
terror risk. Undercover police secretly set up a fake company to
demonstrate how easily and anonymously a terrorist could purchase
chlorine on the Internet for a deadly chemical strike against the
city. A videotape – prepared for a briefing Wednesday of private
security executives – discloses for the first time the results of
the operation. There has been no specific terror threat against the
city involving chemicals, but New York City police recently put more
emphasis on screening shipments of chlorine after learning that it
has become a favored component of homemade bombs in Iraq. Chlorine
typically is used as a disinfectant or purifier and as an ingredient
in plastics and other products. While routinely transported in
liquid form, it can turn into a deadly toxic gas when exposed to
air. In remarks prepared for the briefing, a Police Commissioner
said the NYPD has been lobbying the Department of Homeland Security
to draft stricter regulations requiring chlorine vendors to verify
the legitimacy of their customers. Source:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E7DE133EF937A25751C0A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=New%20York%20City%20Chlorine%20Threat&st=cse

The newspaper article is as
follows:

NYC police use fake company to set up chlorine
buy, highlighting potential terror risk

Undercover police secretly set up a fake company
to demonstrate how easily and anonymously a terrorist could purchase
chlorine on the Internet for a deadly chemical strike against the
city.

A videotape — presented Wednesday at a briefing
of private security executives — discloses for the first time the
results of "Operation Green Cloud" — a reference to the yellow-green
color of chlorine gas. The purpose was "to assess the ease or
difficulty with which a terrorist in the United States could acquire
large quantities of chlorine without being detected by law
enforcement or intelligence agencies," a narrator says on a copy of
the video obtained by The Associated Press.

The conclusion: "At the present time, few if any
barriers stand in his way."

There has been no specific terror threat against
the city involving chemicals, but New York City police recently put
more emphasis on screening shipments of chlorine after learning that
it has become a favored component of homemade bombs in Iraq. A United Nations report found that at least 10 attacks in Iraq
involved explosives attached to chlorine canisters.

Chlorine typically is used as a disinfectant or
purifier, and as an ingredient in plastics and other products. While
routinely transported in liquid form, it can turn into a deadly
toxic gas when exposed to air.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said that while
there were no places to obtain chlorine in New York, there are
several locations in neighboring New Jersey. "It's something we have
to be concerned about," he said of the potential of an attack using
chlorine. "We think the whole area needs a lot of regulation." Kelly
said the NYPD has been lobbying the Department of Homeland Security
to draft stricter regulations requiring chlorine vendors to verify
the legitimacy of their customers. The department sent federal
officials a copy of the videotape and "asked them to include strict
'know-your-customer' rules," Kelly said.

Homeland Security has been focusing on high-risk
manufacturers, distributors and retailers of chlorine in an attempt
to secure the nation's domestic supply, agency spokesman Russ Knocke
said. The agency also has been briefing other law enforcement groups
on the issue, he said. Police stressed that the chlorine deal was
within current regulations, which have no requirement that vendors
verify identification of their customers or report transactions.

In the video, an intelligence detective describes
how in June the department fabricated a water purification
company, complete with a mailing address, Web site and a phony
contract with the city to clean up a polluted creek in Brooklyn.
Investigators, after using the Internet to identify local vendors,
used a credit card to place an order with one unnamed firm for three
100-pound cylinders of chlorine. No one ever asked for
identification and the purchase required little human interaction,
police said. The video includes surveillance footage of a truck
delivering the canisters on a rain-slicked Brooklyn street lined
with warehouses. At the time, hazardous material teams were on
standby to respond to any accidents, police said.

Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed
to this report.

Bio-Dynamic Potable Water System Protects Schools and Hospitals

"We are surprised at how effective the chlorinators are
and how simply

and efficiently they work. Please do one more
installation... at our house

for handicapped children." Kenscoff Orphanage

Kenscoff Children

With
the support of studies conducted by the Johns Hopkins School of
Public Health, the Washington, DC based non-profit
organization International Action continues their quest to provide
affordable, safe drinking water to struggling nations. Grim
statistics from Haiti’s health agencies make this area a top
priority. Without intervention, up to one-third of their children
will die before the age of five due to intestinal disorders from
dirty water sources. They recently shared exciting information
and new photos regarding their progress utilizing easily installed
and operated Bio-Dynamic chlorine disinfection tablet dispensers.
All are from the Kenscoff area
outside Port-au-Prince where their crew has been working while
civil unrest cools down in the capital. These photos of the proud
team were taken at the hospital Fermathe with Community Organizer
Dalebrun Esther in front and local plumber Joanes Bastin behind
him. The young man in the first photo is Dimitri from their
partner group. The second photo shows Laurie Knop, International
Action’s partner in Haiti, directing the work. The chlorinator
behind them is used to protect the
Hospital Fermathe’s patients. The word of decline in illnesses
has spread and the Hospital Fermathe staff has requested that the
organization protect 350 schools they run throughout Haiti.
International Action, along with assistance from the Haitian
Minister of Agriculture, is working rapidly to plot out an
education campaign including training local residents as
Bio-Dynamic Potable Water System installers to speed the
availability of sanitized drinking water. The campaign is titled
“Miracle in Haiti” because some residents of the poor
neighborhoods call the chlorine system and resulting clean water a
miracle and travel long distances to carry away safe water. They
recently surveyed 10 community water tanks in the Kenscoff area
that
were recipients of chlorinators. A Haitian mother standing in
line for water asked them to share the news that, “It’s a miracle
that your organization has brought us clean water. We are so
grateful that our children don’t get sick…as they used to.” Over
the course of the next year, 500,000 people will gain access to
these “miracle” systems. To learn more about International
Action's current and future humanitarian efforts in Haiti, click
on the following link:www.haitiwater.org.

SINGULAIR SYSTEM APPROVED FOR
EPA NPDES GENERAL PERMIT

Designed for
sites where wastewater disposal options are severely limited, the
Singulair NPDES system utilizes advanced treatment technologies to
meet EPA performance criteria. EPA General Permits are issued for
systems that treat wastewater and discharge effluent to surface
waters. NPDES permits require strict compliance with watershed
based performance limits and failsafe operational controls. The
operation and performance of the Singulair NPDES system meets
EPA’s General Permit criteria and allows economical land
utilization while protecting environmentally sensitive areas. The primary
treatment platform of the NPDES system is the Singulair Model TNT
wastewater treatment plant which has successfully completed NSF
International’s most demanding evaluation protocol, Standard 245. Treatment of domestic wastewater is accomplished by the extended
aeration process with non-mechanical flow equalization,
gravitational settling, tertiary filtration, UV disinfection and
effluent re-aeration.

To assure
compliance with EPA’s stringent permit limits the
electro-mechanical components of the NPDES system providing
aeration, filtration and disinfection are monitored 24/7 by
Norweco’s exclusive Service Pro telemetry. Should a system
component require maintenance Service Pro immediately notifies the
Singulair service provider. In addition to providing notification
of the need for service, the Service Pro system manages operating
data and maintenance records with a password protected website for
online performance accountability. Access to the website records
of each Singulair NPDES system can be granted to regulatory
agencies responsible for operational oversight. The system owner
is provided READ ONLY access to the maintenance records which can
be used to demonstrate compliance with permit requirements when
renewal of the EPA General Permit is requested. With
performance that rivals the most advanced treatment systems in the
world, coupled with Service Pro remote monitoring, the Singulair
NPDES wastewater treatment system is another example of how
Norweco is engineering the future of water and wastewater to
provide today's answer for the protection of tomorrow's
environment.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND SOLUTIONS

John and Monica
Kubena and their seven children celebrate their new house protected
by the Singulair system from Norweco, courtesy of ABC Television’s
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The problem of
providing new living quarters for the Kubena family in East
Bernard, Texas was solved with the help of a Singulair Bio-Kinetic
wastewater treatment system. Norweco's local, licensed Singulair
distributor and the design team at ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition installed a Singulair Bio-Kinetic system that was capable
of providing the environment the Kubena family needed for their
twin girls Tara and Sara who are recovering from Leukemia.
For more information, view the entire
Extreme
Makeover story on our website.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF "PROGRESS THROUGH SERVICE"

The year 2006 marked the 100th Anniversary of the founding of
Norweco and our original parent company. Based on a patent for a
burial vault originally issued in 1902, Norwalk Vault Company was
incorporated in 1906 to build and eventually license the
manufacture of the unique design. Over the years, the burial vault
design evolved into designs for septic tanks, bomb shelters,
utility vaults and wastewater treatment plants. The company
developed into a leading manufacturer of precast concrete, steel
molds and wastewater treatment products, which would subsequently
become Norweco. The Norwalk Vault Company produced three
independent companies and hundreds of distributors who used the
word "Norwalk" in their company name. Throughout the history of
all the affiliated corporations and their successors, the
combination of a deep commitment to the customer coupled with
fundamentally sound design, engineering and manufacture has been
the common bond.

We celebrated our Centennial with a four-day series of distributor
meetings that featured a look back at our history and the
introduction of several new products for the future. Distributors
from throughout North America attended the event, which was themed
"100 Years of Integrity, Reliability and Innovation." New product
introductions, new listings and increasing acceptance of advanced
treatment technology continues to position Norweco and our
distributors on the forefront of the water and wastewater
treatment industry. We understand that our continued success, and
the success of our distributors, is dependent upon our ability to
consistently deliver quality service and products to our
customers. The Centennial Celebration was an opportunity to
reflect on our past, envision our future and set our sights on
growth and opportunity. With a renewed commitment to the
partnerships we have forged with our distributors, dealers and
customers, we look forward to our next century of "Progress
Through Service."

NORWECO DISTRIBUTORS ENJOY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

The
Service Pro "Big Red" service truck traveled throughout North
America helping Norweco distributors promote their
products and celebrate our Centennial. Big Red is an International Truck and Engine
Corporation Model CXT with a nine foot tall cab, 310
horsepower MaxxForce engine and six tons of hauling power that was
customized especially for the Norweco Centennial. Towering
over everything else on the street, the International Model CXT is
the largest production pickup truck in the world and demands
attention wherever it goes.

While visiting Waco, Texas, to participate
in the annual Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Conference and the Hanson Concrete Products Company Singulair Training
Seminar, Big Red may have received a little too much attention. The Hanson seminar was well attended by installing
contractors and the TCEQ conference drew big crowds.
However, the day before the conference when Hanson’s Sales Manager, Chris Davis, and Big Red
went missing, the Norweco sales team
who were waiting for the truck to arrive in Waco, got a little nervous.
Chris claims he was having Big Red washed and detailed at the
local truck wash but this photograph provides proof positive that
the detailing job wasn’t the only project Chris was working on
that day. It’s obvious Chris used Big Red’s horsepower to his
advantage as he was able to convince an entire staff of
waitresses from a local Hooters restaurant to leave their work
stations and join him for a joy ride. Sales of wings, Singulair
systems and Blue Crystal chlorine tablets may have suffered
briefly, but it looks like everyone had a good time. Chris
claims that he took the truck to a mall that has the only
combination truck wash/Hooters restaurant in the state of Texas.
However, when members of the Norweco sales team tried to find the
alleged truck wash/restaurant no such facility could be located.

NEW AERATOR DISPLAY DEMONSTRATES UNIQUE FEATURES

We've mounted a Singulair Model 206C
aerator into a clear display cylinder to demonstrate its powerful
mixing action and air delivery. The aerator, designed
specifically for use in the Singulair Bio-Kinetic wastewater
treatment system, turns a four-pronged aspirator at a speed of
1725 RPM. As the aspirator turns within the contents of the
Singulair tank, a vortex is created and air bubbles are released
into the aeration chamber. Air injection provides just the
right environment for biological oxidation of the wastewater.
The aerator generates the tank mixing action necessary for complete
biological treatment and the mixing also operates the Singulair clarification
chamber's sludge return system. Notice that the mixing
action continues even after the aerator is turned off. The
hydraulic currents that are created continue through the Bio-Static sludge return and the sludge
return zone of the clarification chamber continues to function even
when the aerator is in an off cycle.
Simply click on the image to the right to view the
demonstration.

UPDATE - OUTLOOK

Another reason to worry about global warming:
more and itchier poison ivy. The noxious vine grows faster and
bigger as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, researchers
report. And a CO2-driven vine also produces more of its
rash-causing chemical, urushiol, according to experiments conducted
by Duke University where scientists increased the carbon dioxide
levels of a nearby forest to those expected in 2050. Carbon dioxide is a
greenhouse gas that’s considered a major contributor to global
warming. Compared to poison ivy grown in usual
atmospheric conditions, those exposed to the extra-high carbon
dioxide grew about three times larger and produced more allergenic
form urushiol, scientists from Duke and Harvard University reported.
Their study appears in a recent Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences. “The fertilization effect of rising CO2 on poison
ivy… and the shift toward a more allergenic form of urushiol have
important implications for the future health of both humans and
forests,” the study concludes.

Norweco, Inc. was honored with the Governor’s Excellence
Award in Workers’ Compensation recognized by The Ohio Bureau of
Workers’ Compensation (BWC). This prestigious award
acknowledges Ohio businesses and public employers that provide a
safe, cost-effective workplace for their employees, while supporting
their injured workers. The criteria cited by the bureau for
this award are: exemplary commitment to creating a safe workplace,
an outstanding cost-containment program, active leadership by senior
management, employee involvement and measurable results. With
zero recordable injuries for nearly 3 years, Norweco recognizes that
employee efforts were key to achieving this goal. Norweco’s
commitment to a safe and healthy workplace earned them this mark of
distinction. Out of 150 applicants, Norweco is honored to be
one of only six Ohio businesses to receive the Governor’s Excellence
Award in Workers’ Compensation. For more information on the Ohio Bureau
of Workers’ Compensation and the safety programs and services that
they offer, visit
www.ohiobwc.com.

Norweco, Inc. was notified by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that the company has
achieved SHARP certification. SHARP stands for Safety and
Health Achievement Recognition Program and
is a highly selective certification that recognizes employers who
have partnered with OSHA on-site consultants to establish and
maintain an exemplary safety program in the workplace.
Norweco’s program meets and exceeds all of the major elements of the
Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines outlined by OSHA,
including: management leadership, employee
involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention, and safety and health training.
Once safety standards were identified, Norweco was graded on a
number of attributes relating to hazard anticipation, detection,
prevention and control, safety planning, evaluation and training,
management commitment, and employee participation. To complete the
program, Norweco worked with OSHA consultants over a period of two
years and in 2003, achieved the number one goal of obtaining a
record of zero accidents or injuries. The OSHA on-site consulting team
conducts nearly 1000 consultations in Ohio each year, and Norweco is
proud to be one of only 5 companies to successfully achieve SHARP
status. If you would
like more information on the SHARP program, visit OSHA’s website at
www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/sharp.html

The USEPA
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced two actions to
clarify their enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The first action
was to issue updated guidance language to assist the two agencies
with their enforcement efforts. The second action was to announce
the USEPA’s intention to publish an Advance Notice of Proposed Rule
Making, which notifies the public that regulations are slated for
review and asks for public comment. The USEPA decided that clarification of the guidance language was
necessary following a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. In January, the Supreme Court ruled that the Corps of Engineers had
exceeded its authority when it blocked the construction of a
landfill outside of Chicago in the mid-1990’s. The guidance language reaffirms federal jurisdiction over
traditional navigable waters and their adjacent wetlands, but not if
they are contained within one state and non-navigable, where the
sole basis for jurisdiction would be the Migratory Bird Rule. The
language also encouraged field staff to seek formal,
project-specific approval prior to asserting jurisdiction over
non-navigable, intrastate waters based on current regulatory
definitions of "waters of the U.S."

The EPA and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board (LARWQCB)
took serious action against one frequent violator of the Clean Water
Act. The City of Los Angeles admitted liability for more than
3,600 spills dating back to 1994 that resulted in the discharge of
millions of gallons of untreated sewage. The city’s admission of
these violations could force them to pay the maximum penalties with
fines totaling over $90 million. In a separate
Federal lawsuit filed by the EPA and state water officials, Los
Angeles could be forced to commit to making repairs to about half of
it’s 6,500 miles of sewer lines, many of which are a half-century
old. Similar suits have been brought against Atlanta, Miami, New
Orleans, Baltimore and others that would require them to make up to
$100 billion in improvements. However, such an investment may not
be enough to keep pace with aging infrastructures. Some
municipalities are offsetting the cost of these improvements and
repairs by increasing residential sewer fees assessed to their
citizens. Ultimately, each of us will
pay the price or reap the rewards of protecting our water resources
for future generations.

Microsoft has created what it calls “the world’s first internet
outhouse.” The iLoo incorporates an internal
flat-screen plasma display, wireless keyboard and 802.11b broadband
access, as well as 6-channel surround sound. The keyboard is
independently mounted and can be held on the user’s lap. To address
the long lines that could develop if patrons linger too long inside,
the unit also has an external plasma screen and a waterproof
external silicone keyboard for those who are waiting. The toilet
and sink use vacuum suction to dispose of the waste. To add reading
material, the company is negotiating with toilet paper manufacturers
for special rolls with web addresses printed on them. Security is also of utmost importance for
the new device; Microsoft plans to post a guard to protect the
hardware. “If we didn’t post a guard, somebody would probably just
lift the whole thing up and walk away with it,” a spokesman said.

The USEPA published an update to their Design Manual: Onsite
Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems, commonly known as the
"Purple Manual." This update is meant to provide a more focused
approach to onsite wastewater treatment than the last edition which
was published in 1980. The update is not intended to replace
the 1980 version, but rather to provide supplemental information
about recent developments in treatment technologies, designs and
system management. Information contained in this
publication includes an abundance of technical data on traditional
and new systems with a performance-based approach to selection and
design. A team of experts from public agencies, private groups,
professional associations and academic organizations supplied the
information for the updated design manual. Norweco is cited in the
acknowledgements as making a significant contribution to the
development of this important training and reference publication.

Although Staten Island’s Fresh Kills Landfill was closed for
dumping, one mound has been temporarily re-opened for the wreckage
of the World Trade Center. Fresh Kills, whose name is Dutch for
fresh stream, originally was a beautiful marshland. While it is
currently a defunct landfill, faith remains it will once again be
a place of hope, life and beauty. Since 1993, Fresh Kills
Landfill has been the site of a successful ecological experiment.
New York City officials were concerned that roots from a few
naturally occurring shrubs and trees might puncture the protective
plastic liner that acted as a seal above the refuse. A team of experts from Rutgers University found that as tree
roots hit the liner, they spread out instead of puncturing it.
This prompted city officials to look at ways to expand the
vegetation to create a better habitat. The project started with
planting 20 patches of native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses
on two of the landfill's four mounds. Eventually all 2,200 acres of Fresh Kills will be covered with
meadows and woodlands, creating a natural oasis for wildlife on
New York’s coastal wetlands. Perhaps one day we can view the
final resting place for the World Trade Center as a true monument
of the American spirit, a landfill to a forest.

The problem of rising fecal coliform levels in
our oceans is well recognized. After enforcing numerous
regulations regarding the deliberate release of such pollutants
into the oceans, the EPA is now focusing on unintentional causes such as stormwater
runoff. An often over-looked cause of rising fecal
coliform levels is the contribution by problem grease traps. If grease traps go neglected,
the grease is released into the sewage system where it solidifies
and clogs sewer lines forcing wastewater to surface and take
alternative routes, most of which lead to ocean waters. This situation emphasizes the need for proper
grease trap care. Norweco’s Bio-Gem actually
digests grease, fat and oil to help prevent problems in collection
systems. Norweco’s Bio-Kinetic wastewater management system (BK 2000) makes grease traps work
better because it equalizes the flow and filters grease before it
can clog lines. This combination would be ideal in ending grease trap
problems and ultimately their contribution to the oceans’ fecal
coliform levels.

The EPA, in an effort to rid
drinking water of the microbial pathogen Cryptosporidium,
is requiring public water systems which service fewer than 10,000
persons to add tighter filtration system controls. Cryptosporidium is considered by many to be a harbinger of
a new type of microbiological risk for the future. Able to
survive dormant in the soil for years, Cryptosporidium and
similar microorganisms illustrate a potential weakness in
traditional sub-surface waste disposal methods. Concern that other
pathogenic microorganisms may also survive underground disposal is
causing some authorities to require disinfection for both surface
and subsurface disposal. Although this is a controversial subject,
experimental systems have proven that pathogenic organisms in
wastewater can be eliminated without residual chlorine being
detrimental to naturally occurring bacteria.

November 19 has been declared
World Toilet Day by the WTO -- the World Toilet
Organization. The 17-nation WTO concluded its
inaugural World Toilet Summit in Singapore by declaring that
henceforth, November 19 will "be used to promote awareness of
the need for good toilets." The WTO released a list of
nine goals for their organization, including the dissemination of
useful toilet information on their website, an effort to improve
the quality of toilet environments and to "work harmoniously
together in the promotion of better toilets for all people on
earth." WTO members competed vigorously to host the next
World Toilet Summit. Korea won the honor of hosting the
event. Sign up today to make sure you get a good
seat!

A
study commissioned by the White House and conducted by the
National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council has
concluded that global warming "is real and particularly
strong within the past 20 years." It is estimated that
by 2100, temperatures may increase between 2.5 and 10.4 degrees
Fahrenheit above those of 1990. These increases may not seem
substantial, but they may lead to serious adverse effects on society and
the environment by the end of this century.In addition to the increase in temperatures, there will
likely be a hydrologic impact.The study concludes that the predicted warming may lead to
droughts in the Great Plains, substantially impacting agricultural
production.There could also be significant changes over the western
U.S., where much of the water supply is dependent on the amount of
snow and the timing of spring runoff.In addition, some areas may experience increased rainfall
rates that could lead to problems with pollution run-off and flood
control. While
the report admits the exact costs and risks involved are difficult
to quantify, it concludes that the danger grows as the rate and
magnitude of climate change increases.

A
recent Wall Street Journal article addressed the ongoing problem
created by coagulated fat in America’s sewers. While city plumbing codes generally require “grease
generating establishments” to utilize a grease trap, disposing
of the accumulated grease is becoming more difficult.If the trap is not emptied, the greasy water races straight
through, causing pipes to clog, machinery to jam, and ultimately
leading to sewage backup and overflow. Many fast food
restaurants are adding secondary treatment following their
existing grease traps and have turned to Norweco products to solve
their special treatment problems.

A privately owned wastewater treatment
plant in Hillard, OH was closed after 10 years of complaints.
According to environmental officials the smell from the plant caused burning eyes, noses and throats and
occasionally resulted in canceled recesses at a nearby elementary
school. Norweco’s Singulair, Modulair and Travalair
wastewater treatment systems can eliminate the problems of
malfunctioning plants and protect the health and quality of life
of the citizens they serve. Reuse of the high quality
effluent our systems provide is particularly beneficial to people
in areas where potable water supplies are limited.

Earthquakes in El Salvador and India left
tens of thousands dead, however, the human suffering did not stop
when the earth stopped shaking. Following natural disasters, it is not uncommon
for waterborne diseases to kill more people than the disaster
itself. Bio-Dynamic tablet feeders are currently being
used to disinfect the potable water for thousands of earthquake
survivors. By providing the basic necessity of sanitary
drinking water to those that have lost everything, humanitarian
groups and private companies, such as Norweco, are preventing this
tragedy from taking thousands of additional victims.

Escherichia Coli 0157:H7 infiltrated the water supply of a town in southwestern Ontario making more than 1,000 people ill and resulting in the deaths of fifteen others.
Contaminated water is also suspected as the source of illness for 39 people who attended an
Ohio county fair. Some experts believed the rainy summer created longstanding puddles that may have served as breeding grounds for the bacteria. An additional outbreak
two months later at the same fairgrounds has lead officials to close a
display there.

Norweco's Integrated System Controls eliminate the need for multiple control panels when a pump station is
installed with a Singulair system. The prewired control center consolidates the pump
control wiring, control switches, circuit breakers, alarms, timeclock and aerator
circuitry into a single lockable enclosure.

Licensed distributors
are manufacturing precast concrete settling and retention basins
from proprietary Norweco molds for the Bio-Kinetic
Wastewater Management System. BK 2000 systems are now available in precast
concrete basins, or
one-piece and segmented three-piece UPS shippable plastic basins. Norweco distributors
have the option of installing the Bio-Kinetic tertiary device in a 24" diameter by 6
foot tall plastic or concrete solids settling and retention basin.

One of our Canadian distributors has been working for several months with the owners of a local nudist colony. The camp has plans to expand
its facilities and the distributor has quoted a Modulair Wastewater Treatment System to
meet their growing needs. Several members of Norweco's engineering department have
volunteered their assistance for "sight" inspections, surveying, installation
work and routine bi-weekly service visits.

OTHER
POINTS OF INTEREST

What do you have in common with a dinosaur? ... The same drinking
water. We have about the same amount of water as when the earth was
formed. The same water is used over and over again. Try not to think
about it too much.

The
Chicago Tunnels and Reservoir Plan are noted in the Guinness World
Records as the largest sewage tunnel, extending 93 miles with
diameter of 9 to 33 feet. In 2004, a total of 109 miles were
scheduled to be complete.

A
woman in St. Louis recently destroyed her utility room by using
swimming pool disinfecting tablets as a drain cleaner.Fortunately, no one was hurt but her misfortune teaches an
important lesson.Any tablet containing chlorine, including Bio-Sanitizer, is
dangerous if misused.Read and follow label directions!

The
Chicago Tribune reports that a combined sewer system located in a
city park has been discovered as a fishing "hot spot."One sewer manhole became so popular for taking a Crappie or
Bluegill that city officials were forced to place a thick steel
plate over the manhole cover so it could not be removed.

Seen
on the back of a septic pumper truck: "Satisfaction
guaranteed, or your merchandise cheerfully refunded."